White House/Chamber Detente in the Offing?

In the latest sign of detente between the White House and Big Business, President Barack Obama may soon be loping across Pennsylvania Avenue to deliver a speech–and an olive branch–at the headquarters of the business group that’s become a nemesis.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce contributed in the neighborhood of $50 million mostly to Republican candidates during the midterm election, while Mr. Obama and his surrogates lambasted the group for funneling foreign money into the campaign, a charge they didn’t prove.

Since Democrats’ “shellacking” in the polls Nov. 2, Mr. Obama has made high-profile overtures to business leaders, a half-dozen of whom schlepped across Asia with him last week to tout U.S. exports and trade opportunities. The goal, of course, is to secure corporate help on the economy and job growth.

Secondarily, the White House wanted to mend fences after a campaign that put multinationals in Democrats’ rhetorical crosshairs.

The chamber invited Mr. Obama to address its members Dec. 2, but the event was cancelled for logistical reasons, White House officials say. Instead, both sides are looking at dates in January for an Obama speech on the economy and jobs, said a White House official.

A speech in January would fall close to the State of the Union address, where last year, Mr. Obama pledged to double U.S. exports by 2015. The clock is ticking on that vow, and chamber chief Tom Donohue has said the group stands ready to help.

Although the chamber has waged ferocious battles against administration environmental regulations, revamped financial markets rules and the health-care overhaul, it also dispatched a team to Seoul this month to help secure a deal on the South Korea free trade agreement, which Mr. Obama says he wants.

“Economic recovery is the most important goal for the president, and working with all of the stakeholders, including the Chamber of Commerce, on export promotion, free and fair trade to grow the economy and create jobs is an important part of achieving that goal,” said White House spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki.

About Washington Wire

Washington Wire is one of the oldest standing features in American journalism. Since the Wire launched on Sept. 20, 1940, the Journal has offered readers an informal look at the capital. Now online, the Wire provides a succession of glimpses at what’s happening behind hot stories and warnings of what to watch for in the days ahead. The Wire is led by Reid J. Epstein, with contributions from the rest of the bureau. Washington Wire now also includes Think Tank, our home for outside analysis from policy and political thinkers.